


Until the Ashes Line the Sky

by glackedandmullered



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: M/M, Mad King Ryan, king AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-18
Updated: 2013-12-18
Packaged: 2018-01-05 02:45:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1088668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glackedandmullered/pseuds/glackedandmullered
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>2 days. 2 days since the Mad King had appeared at the gateway with nothing but an axe and an insane light in his eyes.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Until the Ashes Line the Sky

“It’s okay Michael, We’ll be okay.” Gavin laid a hand on the man’s shoulder, feeling the matted blood in the fur of his cloak. Michael scoffed.

“How, Gavin? How is any of this okay?” He asked loudly, gesturing wildly to their surroundings, dark hollow trees and frost littered path. A light fog had started to form on the ground and there was a rumbling in the distance like a war song.

2 days. 2 days since the Mad King had appeared at the gateway with nothing but an axe and an insane light in his eyes. He had cut down knight after knight, blood sprayed the stone walls and ran like rivers through the cobblestone of the lower village. The screams of his people had brought King Michael to the main entrance, sword in hand and ever faithful court Jester, Gavin, just behind.

The Man at the gate pulled his axe sharply out of the spine of his last kill, blood spewing out of the body like a volcano, coating the Mad Kings dark robes as he passed by the mutilated corpses up towards the main staircase.

No words were said, just a sudden clash of metal as sword hit axe and Michael roared in anger for the loss of life his oppose had caused. They danced a violent ballet around the courtyard, swinging weapons wildly around each other, blow after blow aimed but never completed. They backed away from each other panting, chests heaving.

It was a hay bale that was Michaels undoing. All of a sudden it was under his feet, toppling him sideways, his head cracking sharply against the stone and Ryan was upon him, axe baring down and it was all Michael could do to swing his sword weakly in his disoriented state. He hit the man but not with his sword, with his bare fist and all he got in return was a rough punch to his own cheek, nearly cracking his jaw and sending a spray of blood from his mouth across the ground. He coughed and spat out a mouthful of blood as a foot came out to kick roughly at his hand until his muscles gave way and released the sword. The sword that, seconds later found itself pressed close to his throat.

“Well, is it just me or is there a sense of déjà vu here?” He smirked, holding the sword closer to Michaels pale throat.

“Would you like my choices, Michael?” Without bothering to await an answer he continued.

“You can surrender to me, you can take your…Jester and run far far away and show yourself as the coward you truly are. Or, you can stay, brave to the very end and I can slit your throat right now with your own blade,” He stopped and breathed out a snigger. “I’m sorry, your fathers blade; and then, as your body empties itself of blood all over your precious kingdom I’ll stick this beautiful blade straight through his heart.” He pointed the unused axe at Gavin, stood frozen at the gate, mouth open in a silent scream and tears running down his face.

Michael struggled again and Ryans sword only pressed closer to his throat. He could feel the sharp tip pierce the skin just slightly, blood blossoming around it.

“Oh I know your secret, My lord.” He drawled, stretching out the title with a chuckle. “I know you and he are more than just servant and master, I know what you two do late at night when the kingdom is asleep. I always knew you were unfit to rule this kingdom and here you are, falling prey to a court whore who will never bare a child to be your heir. You would sooner see this kingdom end with you than see it rise to the best glory it could be with a new King. A proper King. So what do you say, my lord. Kill the whore or give me your-.”

“LET US GO!” Michael yelled, cutting Ryan off and the courtyard fell silent apart from the heaving breaths from the King, hands curled into fists and mouth twisted in a snarl. Silent until the sound of Ryans laughter pierced the air. His mouth wide open in a grotesque grin as his chest heaved with the high pitched insane laugh he was making. His eyes were gleaming as he whipped the sword away from Michaels throat and swung it towards Gavin.

“Come on then boy! Your coward King awaits!” Gavin shakily stepped down the stone, carefully walking past the huddled, terrified villagers who looked on in dismay and disappointment. His friends, people he had been with for his entire life looked at him now with disgust and he kept his eyes on the floor until he reached Michael. He helped the injured man to his feet, pulling him out of the blood and brushing the dust from the back of his cloak.

Ryan’s hand appeared in his peripheral vision and he flinched, expecting a change in heart, a sword through his. But, instead, Ryan simply reached to Michaels head, gripped the golden crown that sat atop his curls and pulled it away, stepping back with a sneer. Gavin pulled Michaels arm around his shoulders and gripped his firmly as he swayed where he stood. Michael glanced back across the courtyard. Ryan had backed up the castle doors, hand resting atop Michaels sword, the tip on the stone. He looked into the faces of his people, the betrayed faces. People who had come to trust him and love him after the tragedy of his fathers death. People he was no abandoning because he was exactly what Ryan had said. He was a coward. He turned back to the gateway and limped down the path resting heavily on Gavin.

Ryans voice echoed after them, taunting and cruel.

“You see, my people look, look at what you King has chosen. He never cared about you, he was never ready to take over this kingdom. He was simply playing at ruler waiting for the real King of this Castle to return. And I have returned.”

Gavin felt Michaels posture droop and he shifted his arm higher on his shoulder and forced himself to keep walking. The gates closing with a clang of metal and a loud thud behind them, sealing them out of their home.

~

“He took my throne.” Michael said weakly, collapsing onto a log on the forest floor and held his head in his hands and Gavin sat down heavily beside him.

“I know love, I know.”

“My life was there, Gav. Not just my throne, my legacy, my legend; My family are buried there, my possessions, everything!” He pulled at his hair with a frustrated scream and Gavin put his arm around Michaels shoulders, pulling him in close to his chest even as he struggled.

“And my people, what of my people? They despise me now, no doubt about that but are they safe? Ryan has no loyalty to anyone, they could all be dead or worse…living with him as their ruler.”

He looked up, eyes clouded and red staring back in the direction of the kingdom, too far to see the walls but knowing what was just beyond the canopy of trees.

“I shouldn’t have run. I should have stayed and faced my fate like a true King would. Like my Father did.” He would never forget the day Ryan, still a young man with a single kill under his belt, had strode into the castle holding his sword like a knight with many a year of training behind him. They had told him lies; his father, the ruler of the neighbouring kingdom, a jealous and spiteful old man and his wicked wife had raised Ryan with tales of how Michaels father had stolen their kingdom, taken the throne that would once have been Ryans and claimed it for his own. He trained him and taught him the ways of a warrior before letting him loose on Michaels kingdom.

The king had stood tall, fought like the brave man he was and, when Ryan had held him at sword point just as he had Michael he had given him the choice. Die and I will leave or Live and I will kill every single man woman and child in this pathetic kingdom. The King lost his head that day and Michael lost the only family he had.

“I’m glad you did, Michael.” Gavin whispered, taking Michaels hand in his and placing a kiss to the bruised knuckles.

“Because now…” He stood, swinging his satchel over his back, a rabbit hanging by its back legs from the leather. “Now we’re still alive to do something.”

“What are you doing?” Michael yelled after the retreating man. “Where are you going?”

Gavin turned, hair whipping in the wind and a glint in his eye.

“We’re going to get your Throne back.”


End file.
